The MUSE & The HISTORY MAN
(One-ActPlayDoubleFeature)
The Muse & The History Man
By Leslie Perry
Dark Blue Mondaze Showcase Theatre Series - Celebrating BLACK HISTORY through the art of Storytelling: presents two one-act plays, The Muse and The History Man, written by Leslie Perry honoring Black History Month which will preview on Sunday, February 10 at 5:00 p.m. and opens on Saturday, February 16, 2013 and runs February 16. 17, 23 and 24, 2013 (Saturdays at 8 p.m./Sundays at 5 p.m.) at The Manazar Gamboa Community Theatre, 1323 Gundry Avenue, Long Beach, California 90813, known as The Light House of the Community which features performances of historical, social, civic, and cultural relevance to the city of Long Beach.
Leslie Perry, is a highly regarded storyteller, playwright, and actor. Perry is a modern day griot; someone who is a repository of stories and wisdom from the African tradition, something like a bard in the English tradition. He is a founder of the Los Angeles Storytelling Festival. Perry has been sharing his brand of stories for over thirty years throughout California at schools, libraries, colleges, senior centers, museums, churches, and festivals. He has also created shows for grants and commissions including commissioned work The Story of the Olympics Games which toured extensively.
THE MUSE, takes you on a journey through the Minds Eye of writer Matt Raymond (Gene Garvin) as he struggles to find a creative break through. This work in progress summons his ancient mystical Muse (Andrea Meshel Smith) for guidance and direction.
THE HISTORY MAN tells the story of an old theatre actor (Garret Davis) who recreates black historical figures, such as Frederick Douglass and Paul Robeson. His audiences have diminished but not his passion for keeping history alive.. During the course of the play, the History Man is interviewed by a news reporter (Lynne Conner) who challenges him to reinvent himself in order to gain international and diverse audiences.
Gary De Witt Marshall (director) Gary has directed several plays including You Shouldn’t Have Told, Four Men On A Couch, Humor Ain't Always Funny Dammit !!!, Picasso At The Lapin Agile, Novio Boy and now The Muse and The History Man. On Television, Mr. Marshall played Detective John Smollers in the ABC pilot Life on Mars. He has guest starred on: New York Undercover, ‘24’, Matt Waters, “ER”, Angel Street, Gemini Man, and Unsolved Mysteries. Gary has been featured in such films as: The Hurricane, Renaissance man, In & Out, New Jersey Drive, Love Walked In, Still Water, and Game Day. Commercially, Gary has endorsed such products as: AT&T, Midas, Hallmark, McDonalds, Budweiser, Kay Jewelers, Remy Martin, and Land Rover. On Broadway, Marshall originated the role of ‘Freedom Fighter’ Michael Dube in the Tony Award nominated drama The Song of Jacob Zulu.
Garret Davis, hails from Brooklyn, New York, has performed in legitimate theatre at the Music Center and some of his credits include working with Pat Hingle, Bob Gunton, and Kirstie Alley, in An American Comedy and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, as well as being co-writer and vocalist on the production soundtrack, along with noted actor Art Evans. Putting in the time to cultivate the craft of TV acting and voice-overs, Mr. Davis has appeared in over 100 commercials and has been the voice of Allstate, Coors and many other PSA’s. His early encounters and love of horses has led him to be a devoted, life-long Cowboy. Garret rides one of the greatest show horses in the world, the American Quarter Horse. He has competed in many rodeos, has been a member of the USTRC, and the WCTPA, and is currently still competing in timed equestrian events all throughout the Southwest. Garret has worked with noted film directors Andy Tennant and Robert Zemeckis. www.GarretDavis.com
Lynne Conner, a native of Los Angeles, is a web series regular on The Unemployment of Danny London(www.dannylondon.com). She has lead roles in several short films including Dying To Live by Lydia Martinelli, Tale of Two Dragons by Ty Granderson Jones, and is concurrently in production for Darry James’ One Hit Wonder. Lynne has a starring role in the straight to video blockbuster film Johnson Family Dinner. Some of Lynne’s stage credits include Backstage at the Cotton Club Review, Nostalgia & Dreams, A Sunday Morning Kind of Gal, Bones of Lesser Men (a L.A. Weekly nod & NAACP Theatre Award), Chicago Club Rumboogie (NAACP Theatre Award), Misconceptions, and The Bow Wow Club (NAACP Theatre Award). www.LynneConner.com
Gene Garvin, the Muse actor's theater credits include Women of Manhattan, My Sweet Charlie, Two For the Seesaw. Comedy ensemble Running with Scissors (The Comedy Store), Killer Geishas a Go-Go (Theater 22). Gene portrayed Sam Cook in the Sam Cook Story for E TV and worked with Ngozi Onwurah on her film Welcome To The Terror Dome, in Britain. Currently Geneʼs enjoying a successful commercial TV career.
Andrea Meshel made her Los Angeles theatre debut in Katori Hall's Hoodoo Love and thereafter appeared in numerous stage productions such as Zoo Man an the Sign, Look What the Cat Dragged In and South Pacific. Andrea recently completed work on two short films Breaking Silence and Descent.
The new 70-seat Manazar Gamboa Community Theater celebrates and supports the wonderful diversity, cultural traditions and is taking artistic expressions to a new level in Long Beach.
Tickets are only $10; running time is 45 minutes for each act, with a 15 minute intermission, ample street parking and concessions available. A Gary DeWitt Marshall Production www.darkbluemondaze.com
Media Contact: Lynne Conner ~ Publicity4you.com 818.749.9695
Show Contact info: 562 646 SHOW (7469)
Link for tickets: http://darkbluemondaze.ticketleap.com/themusethehistoryman/
Tickets available @:
SHADES OF AFRIKA
1001 E. 4th St
Long Beach, CA 90802
562 435 2210
Village Treasures
146 Linden Ave
LB, CA 90802
562 435 3110
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